Overview & Reviews

Land Rover is a luxury SUV manufacturer that has its roots in England. Many of its vehicles are replete with the sort of leather-lined comforts that call to mind hunting lodges and high tea. Land Rovers are also known for being stellar trail-busters, endowed with the moxie to get down and dirty when the road gets rough. Currently owned by Tata Motors, Land Rover is one of just a few automotive brands in the United States to solely market SUV products.

After World War II, two British brothers, Spencer and Maurice Wilks, were impressed by the rugged and versatile nature of the U.S. Army's Jeep. They worked with the British automaker Rover to create the first Land Rover in 1948. Called the Series I, this truck was equipped with permanent four-wheel-drive, a canvas roof and optional doors. These early Land Rovers were crude but extremely well-suited for operations in the field.

The 1950s saw Land Rovers moving toward increased power and refinement. Launched in 1958, the Series II offered added horsepower and a somewhat less rudimentary exterior, with sills designed to disguise the exhaust and chassis. The first diesel-powered Rover was also produced during these years. The Series IIA came next, in a production run that lasted from 1961-'71. As the '60s drew to a close, Rover was acquired by Leyland Motors Ltd. (which would later become British Leyland).

Land Rover's storied Range Rover made its debut in 1970. Equipped with a V8 engine and a body made mostly of aluminum, the stylish vehicle was more consumer-oriented than its predecessors. In the mid-'70s, British Leyland was nationalized; by the mid-'80s, the company — renamed the Rover Group — had been acquired by British Aerospace.

The automaker officially entered the U.S. automotive market in 1987 when the Range Rover made its debut on American shores. It was followed in 1989 by the Discovery, which was initially offered only in two-door form. The Discovery was the first all-new Land Rover in 19 years.

In the 1990s, the sudden popularity of the burgeoning SUV segment placed the brand in an enviable position. In response, Land Rover's vehicles, while still retaining their go-anywhere attitude, became more luxurious, particularly after BMW bought the company in 1995.

The Land Rover family of vehicles has continued to grow. The late '90s saw the introduction of the Freelander; the compact sport-ute held the distinction of being the first production vehicle to offer Hill Descent Control. The latter optimized maneuverability on steep descents by automatically braking to keep the vehicle's speed in check.

BMW's control was short lived, however, and in 2000 Land Rover was sold to Ford. Ford worked hard to improve the reliability of Land Rover's vehicles, but by 2008 Ford's financial instability resulted in Land Rover being sold again, this time to the Indian automaker Tata Motors.

Today, Land Rover is still well known for its luxury SUVs, including the ritzy yet rugged Range Rover as well as smaller and more affordable models like the LR4 and Evoque.

User Reviews:

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  The Most Realistic 04 Range Rover Review You Will Read - 2004 Land Rover Range Rover
  By randa314 - January 14 - 2:42 am

  I purchased my 2004 HSE last year for roughly 13k and I have without question LOVED everything about the vehicle. Comfort, the performance, the overall ride of the vehicle. Ive been pleasantly surprised by the gas mileage. Not sure how I would measure by the gallon, but I will say that when I fill up for 75.00 a tank, I can go from central VA to North Jersey on one tank and still have some fumes left over. A full tank gets me roughly 476 miles total for highway driving. For my local 20 minute each way commute to the office and my around town stuff, I can get through an entire week on one tank. Due to lack of characters, I will need to continue in a seperate review.

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  Awesome - 2005 Land Rover Range Rover
  By ahmed - January 9 - 10:00 am

  It is a good car

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  Overpriced Never Ending Nightmare - 2003 Land Rover Range Rover
  By cdjudd - January 8 - 4:06 am

  I had always been a fan of Range Rovers since I was young, and who wouldnt be. I figured surely after all the rumors of the quality control issue they had surely lined that out with the new models. That is just not the case. If anything they have become worse. They run the "certified pre- owned" crap making you think they will stand behind it. Thats non-sense. From the minute I drove it off the lot it was nothing but a nightmare. Electrical issues became a daily routine. Lights flickering on and off. Then transmission issues of all things. All these things in which they try to fix but when not successful they then throw it back in your face and offer no more help.

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  Love my LR2 - 2008 Land Rover LR2
  By Nick Soo - January 1 - 4:40 pm

  I got my LR2 as a winter car last October. I was well aware of Land Rovers past reliability problems. I have to say that I love my LR2. Some claim it has poor performance for a luxury SUV, but I think it does fine. I have a G35 coupe as well, and I dont think the LR2 is slow for an SUV, and I dont expect it to be a race car. Overall, its a great ride for someone who wants a very comfortable plush smaller SUV with eye-catching style and lots of technological bells and whistles without paying a fortune. If you want a full-size SUV, itll disappoint. If you want a car-like SUV, probably not for you. But if you want an SUV for winter driving and occasional trips, the LR2 rocks

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  Almost perfect... - 2006 Land Rover LR3
  By D-man - December 29 - 8:03 am

  Had the Disco Ser II before this, wow what an improvement! They really got it right. The tight turning radius alone is worth the price, especially in tiny Los Angeles parking lots. Everything that was wrong with the Discovery was made right with the LR3. Fast, comfortable, fewer blind spots, fold- flat seats, impressive handling, spacious cup holders, really great stuff. The one-touch ride-height adjustment is great for those lower- clearance parking garages, and the stereo can deliver the goods when youre ready to rock out. Too many nice touches to mention in this review. We leased the car and will probably buy it when the lease is up. Just an outstanding SUV if you can afford the gas...

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  Youll need to make it yours - 2003 Land Rover Discovery
  By Skifishhunt - December 26 - 9:10 am

  I have owned my Disco for 3 years, I average over 20,000 miles a year. No major problems at all. This vehicle is not a car, it is a truck, and once you replace the oem goodyear tires and put a multifunctional roof rack on it, you will be on your way to owning the most capable SUV on planet earth.

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  Excluding safety, its a great car - 2004 Land Rover Freelander
  By SeattleSteve - December 20 - 2:00 am

  The only worry in purchasing this car is its safety record, which isnt that much worse than other cars in its class, but still not as good as a 4dr sedan. Besides for that, the car works very well and we have no complaints. Its good for people who like to ride high (in a SUV), still like to have a car that is nimble, yet dont need the cargo space of a larger SUV. The ride is a lot more comfortable than the Jeep Liberty, Rav4, etc.

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  Perfect blend of Land Rover and BMW - 2005 Land Rover Range Rover
  By teamyonex - December 15 - 5:16 am

  Purchased in May as dealer was anxious to clear inventory for 06s. 1% over invoice. Wife drives a BMW 5-series, and the connection between the RR and BMW is unmistakable. Very tight build. 13.7mpg overall. Rear facing sight lines arent that great due to pillar and head rests, which could be an issue for some. Awesome stereo. Plenty of acceleration for my tastes. Considered a Cayenne S, but decided against it due to rear leg room. RR is 7" longer, and is much more comfortable in the back. Aerodynamics are strange: water pools on hood even at 70mph, and rear end has an updraft that gets it dirty in about 5 seconds. But a fine vehicle, one that Ill be hanging onto for a long time.

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  A Let Down! - 2005 Land Rover Freelander
  By A Let Down! - November 24 - 5:13 pm

  The sunroof has been replaced twice so far. Drivers seat belt pretensioner replaced twice and seat belt light comes on when belt is buckled! The key cylinder in the read cargo door fell out and had to be replaced. Seats are hard to keep clean. I expected better from Land Rover and am now afraid to buy the new LR-2!

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  Roving the Rockies - 2002 Land Rover Freelander
  By AL Lan Madrogoran - November 24 - 2:00 am

  The Land Rover Freelander is a great deal for the money. I would like a little more power especially for the gas miliage.